Behind the Build: Viswanath on AppSail, scalable applications, and more

Every developer is unique, but the majority of them share a common trait: they are curious problem-solvers driven by a genuine passion for creating meticulously crafted solutions. In this no-nonsense Q&A series, we interview our in-house engineering team to gain insight into how they go about solving problems for fellow developers. The series aims to not only bring you educational content but also foster transparency between our development team and users like you, establishing a stronger connection.

Let's meet the dev!

Featured here is Viswanath M.

Today, we're diving into the world of Catalyst AppSail with Viswanath M, the team lead for the backend of Catalyst AppSail. Viswanath isn't your typical team lead – he's the coding genius who lives for the nitty-gritty of backend development. Heading up a crew of passionate developers, his mission is clear: craft the engine that powers AppSail. It's not just about pushing code for him; it's about creating an engine that ensures AppSail's serverless architecture runs like a charm. His vision for AppSail goes beyond crafting a robust platform. It's all about ensuring your coding journey is as smooth, efficient, and downright awesome as possible.

Q 1: So, what's the lowdown on AppSail, and why should we developers be geeking out about it?

Viswanath: Picture this: a deployment process that doesn't give you a headache. That's AppSail in a nutshell. Making the transition to production-ready builds feels as easy as ordering your favorite takeout. With predefined runtimes and languages plus a straightforward startup command, managing your application becomes a walk in the park. And the magic doesn't stop there. AppSail's automatic scaling feature dances with your traffic fluctuations, ensuring your application always delivers top-notch performance while keeping those costs in check.

The best part? AppSail supports your existing code without demanding major makeovers. So, while you're deep in your app's logic, AppSail's got your back, handling all that infrastructure stuff.

From kicking off your application to scaling requests and storing debug logs, AppSail is your behind-the-scenes hero, handling all those operational complexities so you can focus on what matters – your code. Because, let's be real, there's code to write, and AppSail is here to make your life a whole lot easier.

In a nutshell, AppSail is every developer's dream – a user-friendly powerhouse in a serverless environment, making web application deployment a walk in the cloud.

Q 2:  Now, getting into the nuts and bolts, what programming languages can we throw into the mix with Catalyst AppSail? And why does having that kind of flexibility matter in our coding world? 

Viswanath: Catalyst AppSail officially supports Java, Node.js, and Python for deploying web applications. This flexibility is crucial in the coding world, as it allows developers to choose the language that best fits their application's needs. Whether it's the robustness of Java, the versatility of Node.js, or the simplicity of Python, developers have the freedom to work with the languages they are most comfortable with. AppSail's flexibility ensures that your language preference doesn't limit your project's potential,, fostering a developer-friendly environment.

Q 3: I remember dealing with manual scaling headaches in the past, and it wasn't always smooth sailing. Can you break down for our readers how Catalyst AppSail handles auto-scaling and why it's such a big deal?

Viswanath: AppSail's auto-scaling is a bit like the magic behind the curtain that keeps our applications running smoothly. It works by automatically scaling up when the traffic gets intense, ensuring top performance, saving costs by only using what's needed, and creating a smooth user experience even during traffic spikes. When the traffic chills out, AppSail scales down, saving you some bucks. It's like turning off the lights when you leave the room. Plus, it's hands-free, letting you focus on the fun stuff while we handle the scaling. AppSail is the secret sauce that makes your apps sturdy, budget-friendly, and adaptable to whatever your users throw at them. It's not just cool, it's the real deal for making your apps shine.

This is a big deal, because it helps you focus on building cool stuff, while we handle the heavy lifting of scaling – from starting instances to keeping things snappy under varying loads. Your app gracefully scales up to meet demand. Users get a smooth experience even during traffic spikes. Happy users, happy you.

To go a bit technical, AppSail works on a serverless model. When someone hits your app's HTTP endpoint, we kick start a backend instance. But, when the traffic gets crazy with multiple requests, one lonely instance might start feeling the pressure. AppSail is smart; it automatically scales up based on the number of requests coming in. We set a threshold at 100 requests per instance, but here's the twist: we don't wait until we hit that limit to act. Nope, we start spinning up a second instance before we even get there. Why? To make room for the "cold start" time of the new guy. Hope that paints a vivid picture for you! 

Q 4: How does Catalyst AppSail make our lives easier when we're cooking up web apps, mobile apps, and microservices? Any war stories or wins from fellow devs who took the plunge?

Viswanath:  Oh, Catalyst AppSail is a game-changer for us developers in the web app, mobile app, and microservices world. We took it for a spin while crafting CRM software using the Java WAR model, and let me tell you, it was an eye-opener. We hit some bumps along the way and discovered where we needed a bit more love and support. That hands-on experience helped us fine-tune AppSail to be even better.

The wins came not just from successful projects, but from the valuable feedback of users. The positive reactions from users are like a pat on the back. And you know what's even cooler? Their feedback acts as our compass, pointing us to areas that need a bit more attention and improvement. It's a constant journey of making things better, all inspired by the real-world stories of development.

Q 5: I remember the days of managing on-prem servers, and it could get pretty hectic. Why is AppSail an attractive solution for companies looking to transition from traditional on-premises hosting to the cloud?

Viswanath: Going from old-school hosting to the cloud is a big deal, and AppSail has some cool features that make this transition a breeze. First off, it takes server management off your plate. No need to worry about provisioning, configuring, or maintaining servers. No need to play traffic cop with servers during sudden spikes. With AppSail's auto-scaling, you can kiss goodbye to the stress of having too much or too little server power. It's like having a personal assistant for your servers – always there when needed, no panic required!

Also, AppSail operates on a pay-as-you-go model. So forget about the complexities of server machine costs and upgrading expenses. You only cough up cash for the resources you actually use. Sweet, isn't it!

On top of that, AppSail simplifies the deployment process. Just take your on-premise production code, choose the predefined runtime/language, provide a startup command, and you're good to go. Unlike some cloud transitions that necessitate a complete overhaul or the splitting of application logic into multiple microservices, AppSail offers a refreshing alternative. With AppSail, there's no need to change your application logic or break it into microservices to make it cloud-ready. You can seamlessly use the same application logic you've been working with. Leveraging the Catalyst SDK for accessing components and services provided by Catalyst, the transition becomes a smooth process without the need for extensive code restructuring. 

Q 6: Could you chat a bit about the pay-as-you-go model of Catalyst AppSail? Why is it a win for developers, and how does it keep costs in check?

Viswanath: Totally! Let's break it down in a way that's straight-up real for us developers. Imagine this: with AppSail, you only pay when your instances are putting in the hours. No more wasting money on servers just twiddling their thumbs during the slow traffic times. It's like having a cost-savvy friend looking out for your wallet. AppSail's got this cool auto-scaling thing that keeps you away from wrecking your budget during any surprise traffic spikes. Forget about setting up instances in advance; auto-scaling kicks in when the crowd shows up.

The Catalyst CLI is our secret weapon for simulating the production setup on our own machines. Why does this matter? It not only makes development and debugging smoother, but also lets us fine-tune our applications locally before deployment. Keeping an eye on the budget while working our coding magic – that's the power of Catalyst CLI in action. 

In essence, AppSail's pay-as-you-go model is a win for us devs. It gives us cost transparency, ensures we use resources efficiently, and gives us dynamic scaling capabilities. It's a budget-friendly approach that aligns with the variable demands of modern applications.

Q 7: What's on the horizon for Catalyst AppSail? Any sneak peeks into upcoming features or cool stuff in the pipeline?

Viswanath: We've got some exciting developments lined up to offer even more flexibility and customization. Hold on tight – we're taking customization to a whole new level! The pre-defined configurations you're familiar with? Well, they're about to become your playground. This means you'll have greater total control over the settings, allowing you to tailor AppSail to fit your app's unique requirements. It's like having your own DJ for the settings party!

AppSail will soon introduce support for customized runtimes. Yup, you heard it right. This gives you the power to bring your own operating system, programming language, and environment along with your code. This is a game-changer for developers who want highly customized runtimes and dependencies for their specific use cases.

One common challenge with serverless platforms is the limitation on code zip size. Well, soon you'll wave goodbye to that headache too. We're going to bring support for customized runtimes. Then you'll be able to toss in all your dependencies without worrying about hitting the size limit. Developers will be able to include multiple dependencies without worrying about exceeding the supported limit, providing a seamless experience for handling complex applications.

In a nutshell, the future of Catalyst AppSail is all about empowering developers with enhanced customization options, from configurable settings to the ability to bring their own runtime environments.

Q 8: Developers are a passionate bunch and are vocal about the tools they use. How are users responding to Catalyst AppSail?

Viswanath: Honestly, it's been awesome! Overwhelmingly positive. It's heartening to see developers digging AppSail for its simplicity in deployment, auto-scaling capabilities, and cost-efficient, pay-as-you-go model. We're not just sitting back and soaking in the praise, though. You'll find that the upcoming features are all driven by user feedback. It's our way of saying, "Hey, we hear you, and we're on it." Keeping the developer experience front and center is a big deal for us. Offering customization options, supporting varied runtimes, and facilitating local development with the Catalyst CLI, we ensure that Catalyst AppSail evolves in tandem with developers' needs. Honest communications with developers and a commitment to addressing their challenges – that's how we roll.  

We hope you enjoyed reading this interview where Viswanath shed light on AppSail, and how developer experience and honest conversations are shaping AppSail to be your sidekick, evolving alongside developers' needs.

We can't wait to share more behind-the-scenes insights with you soon. Stay tuned!